Going into the 2011 American Mideast Conference (AMC) playoffs, Kristen Zelenka was in a good spot, as she was the AMC Pitcher of the Year, enjoying a successful senior season and also finishing up all of her finals. But things would soon take a turn for the worse.Two batters into the opening game against Cedarville, Kenleigh Ludlow hit a ball that deflected off of Zelenka leaving her unconscious.“I blacked out and fell to the ground. I guess that’s what happens whenever you get a concussion,” said Zelenka last Wednesday. “I just remember waking up on the ground and I felt I knew what happened whenever I became conscious. My first thought was that so many baseball players get hit in the head and they end up dying. I was thinking worst case scenario and I just remember waking up laying there with all of my coaches, a couple teammates and trainers were by me trying to calm me down.”Even before the game, Zelenka felt as though something was not right. With already rainy weather, she was unsure if there would even be a game as conditions were far from optimal. According to Zelenka, warm-ups also were off as the team adjusted to the field conditions.Still Zelenka came into the game with a 7-2 record and confidence that she would lead her team to victory.The first batter she faced hit a single, and then Ludlow hit a ball that hit Zelenka who went down to the ground.“I knew something was very wrong because of the way she went down. I immediately yelled for someone to call 911, it was bad,” said head coach Michelle Coultas in a phone interview Saturday. “There was a lot of blood and I was worried about her. I never like to see my players get hurt, especially leave the game in an ambulance. It was tough for me and the entire team. It was comforting that her mother was there. That was important.”Zelenka definitely worried when she regained consciousness, but with many people gathered around her, she did not want to concern them and instead relied on her sense of humor.“I could tell everyone was really scared, so I asked them if I looked ok and if I was still pretty,” Zelenka said. “I was trying to make light of it … Everybody laughed and they put me on the stretcher and into the ambulance.”Count catcher Sara Guffey was among Zelenka’s scared audience. It was Guffey who was behind the plate and all she could do was watch her pitcher and friend get hit by the softball.“It all happened really quickly,” said Guffey in a phone interview Sunday. “The severity of it all didn’t initially sink in. I’ve been playing softball with Kristen for 15 years and she’s always had insanely fast reaction time. I thought it hit her glove or something at first because I vaguely remember standing there mortified and glued to my spot behind the plate. It was kind of like a movie at that point and time seemed to slow down.”Meanwhile, as she was being placed in the ambulance, it was up to Kelsey Robertson to get the win for her team, and while three runs crossed the plate in the first inning, Robertson pitched six innings and earned the win as Point Park won the game 11-8. Still, Robertson was not immune from the emotions of Zelenka’s injury.“I was freaking out about what happened and I knew I was going to have to go in but I also knew I had no choice,” said Robertson in a phone interview Sunday. “I was going to have to go in and do my best for Kristen and the team. In order to get the win, I had to mentally overcome the thought of what had just happened and play to the best of my ability.”Despite her injury, Zelenka surprised her team by attending two games the next day.“It was amazing that she wasn’t admitted into the hospital and she was able to be with the team later that night,” Zelenka said. “It shows how strong she is that she came to the game to show her support.”The mental battle to get back onto the field was a hard one.Following the incident, Zelenka spent the next year in and out of Washington, D.C. at a public relations firm. The year was stressful, but Zelenka felt as though PR was not for her. After time away from her internship, she realized how much she missed the game. However, soon she would be back on the field.Zelenka worked at Dick’s Sporting Goods, and it gave her an opportunity to play for the company’s corporate team.“Everybody on my team thought I was very good and couldn’t believe I was playing after the accident,” Zelenka said. “They wanted to keep me, but they understood that I wanted to go back and play softball.”